RenderWare

RenderWare
Developer:	Criterion Software
OS:	Windows, Gamecube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PlayStation Portable
Genre:	Game Engine (middleware)
Licence:	Proprietary
Website:	http://www.renderware.com/

RenderWare (RW) is computer and video game middleware from Criterion Software.

Description

RenderWare is a 3D API and graphics rendering engine used in computer games, Active Worlds, and some VRML browsers. RW is developed by Criterion Software Limited (which used to be a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon but is now owned by Electronic Arts).

It originated in the era of software rendering on PCs prior to the appearance of GPUs, competing with other libraries such as Argonaut's BRender and RenderMorphics' Reality Lab (the latter was acquired by Microsoft and became Direct3D).

RenderWare's principal comercial importance was in providing an off the shelf solution to the difficulties of PS2 graphics programming. It was almost describable as "Sony's Direct X" during this era - although the name refers to surrounding framework and toolchain middleware.

Prior to versions 2.x, an external programming or scripting language had to be used to take advantage of RenderWare. RenderWare 2.x, on the other hand, has its own internal scripting language: RWX (RenderWare script).

RWX support was dropped from RenderWare 3.x, instead focusing on a binary model file format. RWX scripts are incompatible with RW3.x.

With RenderWare 4.x, Criterion is slated to drop support for RW3.x's formats, thereby making version 4.x incompatible with scripts/files from all previous versions.

RenderWare is available for use in Windows as well as Apple Mac OS X based applications, and many video game consoles such as GameCube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox360, PlayStation 2, Playstation 3, and PlayStation Portable.

RenderWare is no longer available for purchase, although EA are honouring old contracts, meaning that other developer's games after the Criterion acquisition may still use the technology. What was RW4 has dissolved among the rest of EA internal tech.

Recent comments from EA executives suggest that RenderWare's demise was caused by mismanagement and underperformance.

"RenderWare didn't get the next-gen parts that we needed. We actually underestimated Epic early on. They told us, 'We're going to do this, this, and this,' and we thought, 'Eh, it's going to be kind of hard.' We also overestimated our team, then we looked up three months, six months, and nine months later and said, 'Whoops, we underestimated Epic. Again. And overestimated our own team.' We had a couple of teams that were waiting on RenderWare. We probably stuck with it too long." ^{[citation needed]}

Games

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled List of RenderWare games. (Discuss)

RenderWare is used throughout the video game industry. Some of the games using RW include:

See also

• Gamebryo, a chief competitor to RenderWare
• Active Worlds

External links

• RenderWare
• Criterion Games
• Active Worlds RenderWare Object Creation
• RenderWare V2.1 API Reference
• worlds.com

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